e4k Outreach

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Engineering | roadshow activities, demos, party tricks | Hands-on hand | Big Floor Game | Simple yet powerful | Visualization and spatial reasoning | Just add water | Pre-programmed robot competition | Teaching Teachers to Teach Engineering - T3E | Engaging hands-on engineering

Activities, materials for promoting engineering and Engineering4Kids - presentations, events

Engineering

introduction, ideas, basic concepts, vocabulary, engineering design process

e4k stories - engineering connections - problem, design process, solution, engineering disciplines, innovation

Engineering 4 Kids - e4k
  • starts with kids
  • everything interactive, engineering, gender neutral
  • "pull" teachers - resources, community, network

E4K Community Outreach (aka Road Show, Do It... Show & Tell, Suitcase Museum)
  • STEM Outreach activities, * NASA Summer of Innovation - Engineering
  • design hands-on activities to take to events
  • ideas and requirements - must be portable, robust, table top or 10x10ft, etc...
  • mostly LEGO. FLL Robots, sensors, field-programmable would be good
  • wild and crazy ideas encouraged - like using a smartphone for control and/or display.
  • don't have to actually build them, though perhaps they can or prototype. May have mechanical engineering students to help, too.
  • teacher participation
  • assessment / measurement - record events, participation, impact
  • story collection - examples, reviews, engineering tie-in
  • online games - fun factor, engineering demo * TryEngineering.org - play games

k-8 robotics, engineering, interactive, erau, competition - mindstorm - pre-programmed/ write new code, robot laser tag, pinewood derby, becky creekside, dave holly hill, dana burns, grant funding - STEAM (arts), STEM-H (health)

roadshow activities, demos, party tricks

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6 nails balance on 1

  • block of wood with nail sticking up, 6 more nails - balance the six on top of the one in the block ? engineering
  • Bridges - Try it - great explanations of the elements of each bridge design and easy demonstrations.

  • BST - SeaPerch robot, nail balance
  • CM - LEGO Leagues, hot air balloons
  • ERAU -


Hands-on hand

Using LEGO bricks, one or 2 EV3 Mindstorm computers, create a "hand" that can do several "tasks". As an interactive exhibit, it needs to be robust and simple. Provide interactivity through smartphone interface. Display some "results" that can be projected onto the back/unprinted side of the retractable banners
  • several movements, tasks - bean bags, "martian rocks" (ping pong balls)
  • take user input / commands from smartphone
  • display > projector > banner/screen

Learn more...


Big Floor Game

Big interactive activity - takes up lots of space.
  • simple enough for NXT / EV3
  • playing field - 9x9ft mat on ground / floor ? kids tile mat 26 12x12 tiles $17 lowes ? 2 pkgs
  • kids in "space" with robot
  • smartphone to control ? cover / sensors
  • co-opetition - kid + robot vs kid(s)
  • game - rules - winning, strategy, user interface
  • robot design characteristics
  • wireless control for NXT / EV3

Learn more...


Simple yet powerful

  • nails balanced on nail in block of wood
  • "penny" bridge
  • Pinewood derby cars - actual ramp, other activities - wind powered with sail
  • suitcase museum - bankers box, web page - available for check-out - objects, activities, page with images, descriptions, resources


Visualization and spatial reasoning

  • origami
  • paper airplanes
  • spatial visualization quiz, LEGO 3-d model, iPad apps
  • Purdue quiz - paper, online


Just add water

  • clear container ? bucket, storage box
  • neutral buoyancy - action figures, assorted materials, tape


Pre-programmed robot competition

  • Charlie - details


Teaching Teachers to Teach Engineering - T3E

  • community of practice, personal learning network, mentoring
  • professional development - curriculum, learning lab, practice
  • ? funding ? country certification, professional dev ? dsc ed students prof dev ?
  • ? engineering assoc ? outreach > k-12, $, mentoring

Outline
  • big change for teachers, most don't know much about engineering, engineering design process
  • must remain free, open

  • get the word out
  • support for those willing to step out and try something
  • examples, inspiration
  • "taxi model" - fill up, "pay as you go" - actually no cost, stop anytime, find another taxi

  • Personal Learning Network, Community of Practice, forum, news, MOOC
  • creative commons, wikieducator, open wikispaces, open textbooks ? ad supported NOT copyright/must join/pay to access

  • ? modeled on DSC - teaching teachers to teach Science - Tom Swain - hybrid - online, learning lab

Learn more...

  • Episode 10: STEM Education in Frankfort - STEM education is alive and well in the state capital, and Mark Harrell and Rebecca Logan are proof of that. Mark is the District STEM Coordinator while Rebecca is a 5th grade STEM teacher at Elkhorn Elementary. 11/9/12


Engaging hands-on engineering

  • several traveling hands-on engineering activities to take to schools, fairs
  • 3-5 minute activity, multiple participants, gender-neutral, low maintenance, robust/ rugged, minimal instruction / assistance, range of ages but focus gr 6-8
  • easy transport ? space case, roll mat, wheelie duffel, artist case,
  • small - table top
  • big - fit in 10x10ft ? 9x9 mat
  • build & destroy - penny bridge, shake table
  • "programming" - serial commands, autonomous
  • real engineering learning outcomes
  • life-size - big as a kid, coopetition kid with robot vs kid(s) without
  • competition - robot pre-programmed - learn to operate and/or change > ??
  • limited cost
  • banners - vertical panel from compact stand base
  • teach teachers to teach engineering ? dsc


  • use smartphone / tablet as input / control device - new EV3 coming fall 2013 - bluetooth
  • on-board camera > tablet / laptop
  • autonomous, knock stuff over, maneuver - drag & drop "programming"
  • mostly LEGO - blocks, computers, sensors
  • ?? wii
  • society, humanitarian "mission" - rescue, rebuild, water treatment, food distribution, medical
  • encourage problem-solving, failure, practice
  • hands-on hand - life size LEGO hand, 3-D printed parts - control movement
  • cars / trucks / tricycles - obstacle course
  • cheap and cheerful - no moving parts - 6 nails balanced on nail in a block of wood


  • LEGO robot - what & how specs, design, build schedule / plan
  • 3-D printed parts
  • smart phone, tablet, projection ? wii - programming, control
  • bankers box - storage, tough tub with locking lids
  • rolly duffel - target 36x15x7 $45. 22x11x12 $30
  • dridek 12x12 west marine $6.29 folding cart 18x16x16 $34. lowes kids 26 12x12 $17
  • plastic mat / table cloth - table 30x96 - cover 108x54 x 2 > "floor"
  • vertical banner - print, project onto back - 32x80" $220/printed, heavier stand
  • projector, connect to control/output display


  • hands-on hand - several movements, tasks, from smartphone, display > projector > banner/screen
  • banners - Retractable Compact with a stable base and quick set-up. 32" X 80"
  • stories - "what's going on here?" - engineering concepts, reference